CSA Chronicles: Summer Squash Ratatouille

Even though the summer is flying right by, the summer squash varieties seem to be consistently present in our CSA share.   Yellow summer squash, green zucchini, even yellow zucchini… I’m receiving 3 – 4 of these delicious summer veggies each week.  Thankfully there’s an endless supply of unique summer squash ideas on the internet to drool over.

Personally, I want to taste the freshness of these vegetables, and this summer squash ratatouille allows you to do just that. Sadly, summer doesn’t last very long around these parts, so I am constantly seeking out recipes that embrace all of the local & fresh ingredients the season has to offer. Enter, ratatouille. A dish that really lets the squash do the talking. While traditional ratatouille uses eggplant as a key ingredient, this version does not.  So, eggplant haters – rejoice! This ratatouille is just for you!

I found Smitten’s Kitchen version of this dish just after I received my mandolin as a birthday gift last August.  What a great kitchen tool! Now, I never have to pass on a recipe that requires thinly sliced ingredients.  If you don’t have a mandolin, you’re going to need a sharp knife and patience, because it’s going to take some time to slice all those veggies up by hand.  A mandolin will make quick work of the prep required for this meal.

I really appreciate the simplicity of this dish, and how easily it comes together.  Too easy. The hardest part is remembering which vegetable to layer on next.  So, you can pretend like you worked really hard to make this dish look as elegant as it does. No one has to know that how simple it really is.  And, honestly, the flavor of this dish just can’t be beat.  Fresh zucchini and squash, baked with just a drizzle of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper.  Really, what’s better than summer produce at the peak of perfection? Um… food wise? Not much else. Unless, you count crumbling some creamy goat cheese over top of this ratatouille before digging in.  Which I highly recommend you do.

Summer Squash Ratatouille

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Serves	4
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	40 minutes
Total time	1 hour
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Website	Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup white onion (finely chopped)
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium summer squash
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup white rice (cooked)

Optional

• 2oz goat cheese
• balsamic glaze

Directions

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small food processor, puree tomato and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the puree in a thick layer at the bottom of a pie dish. Sprinkle onion on top.
2.	Using mandolin (or a sharp knife), thinly slice zucchini, summer squash, and orange bell pepper. If using a mandoline, the 1/16" setting works best.
3.	In a ring around the outer edge of the pie dish, layer slices of zucchini, yellow summer squash, and bell pepper. Condense vegetables as you layer, to ensure that you are fitting as many vegetable slices in the ring as possible.
4.	Create another ring of vegetables in the middle of the dish. Continue layering the vegetables into rings until you reach the center of the pie dish. Drizzle olive oil over top, season well with salt & pepper.
5.	Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the pie dish and place on top of vegetables. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Remove & let cool slightly before serving. Serve on top of white rice with goat cheese and balasamic glaze, if desired.

Winter, please stay away. I’d like to eat zucchini from the CSA all year long. Thanks.

More zucchini, you say? 

Zucchini Mint Pesto Pasta Salad

Or just more fresh vegetables?

Sweet Pea & Mint Filled Ravioli

Shared with Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Weekend Potluck, Fit & Fabulous Fridays, Scrumptious Sunday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, On the Menu Monday

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